8 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn to Get the Job You Want

8 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn to Get the Job You WantLinkedIn is a useful and necessary career tool for almost everyone. But it can also be a fabulous job search tool. Trouble is, the ways in which this is true arent usually clear to a casual user. For example If youre just updating your profile and waiting to be discovered by recruiters or headhunters, then you can probably expect to wait a long time. This is true even if your profile is all a profile should be with a professional photo, relevant job and education info, and nifty use of all the available bells and whistles for resume optimization. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) However, if you abflug to think of LinkedIn as a massive database and resource available to you, then you might actually stand a mglichkeit of getting a job through the site. You can spare yourself an enormous amount of legwork by checking up on companies, see who you know at any given firm, and even see what that company might be looking for.Here are a few strategies to help you get hired.1. Follow the companies youd like to join one day.Choose 5-10 companies you might like to work for someday and follow them on LinkedIn. Its a great way to learn extra intel about ansicht companies that could be useful in an interview situation. You can even limit the companies you follow to ones that are close enough to your geographical location to be within range.2. Get more connections.You can increase your connections using the Advanced Search tool. Search for alumni of every school youve attended, former colleagues, even employees at companies youd like to work for. Reach out ambitiously for connections. Join groups and follow their news feeds for more leads.3. Ask for recs.Recommendations are easy to ask for on LinkedIn. Getting managers, employees, and coworkers to post reviews on your profile can really help sell your candidacy to other jobs. When asking, however, try to personalize the standa rd message to ask for what you need, but also what that person might be most inclined or informed to comment about.4. Stay active.Dont just let your profile sit there, even if its great. Join groups and post in them. Engage with others content. Comment on news feeds from companies you like. Post articles that are relevant to your industrythis can make you look informed and engaged (and hirable). Even just liking someones post can lead to a new connection.Quick tip turn off your activity broadcasts (in your privacy settings) so that every one of your connections dont receive an alert every time you add a website to your profile. Keep your broadcasts content-related and weighty.5. Use job alerts.You set up job alerts on all other job search sites, why not LinkedIn? The benefit here is that LinkedIn will give you access to the hirer/recruiter posting the job, so youll have somewhere to address your materials immediately. You can even start lining these alerts up before youre ready to a pply for jobs, just to be prepared and know whats out there in your chosen field.6. Make your headline.Your headline actually matters. Think of it as your online brand. Its the first and only thing a user will see when first searching for you. Your headline might be the thing that makes them click on your profile and read it, or even add you as a contact7. Ask for introductions.You find you have a friend of a friend in a position to help you or hire you? Ask your friend to make an introduction. You can even ask passively, by using the Get an Introduction function (the arrow to the right of the Send a Message link).8. Get started.This is all great advice. Dont file it away for whenever youre ready to start looking. Most of these strategies will be most effective if youve built them up over a few months and then can wield them to their full benefit when the time comes for you to hunt.

Balancing Caregiving With Your Career is Possible Heres How

Balancing Caregiving With Your Career is Possible Heres How Our definition of what it means to be a working caregiver is expanding and the best companies are growing alongside it. Theresa Burke has seen evidence of that personally.As Senior Manager of IT at Qualcomm, a global telecommunications company, Burke says that her companys caregiver benefits are some of the best in the game. From fully paid maternity leave and up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, 12 weeks of time off to care for seriously ill family members (also at 100% of salary) to returnship and back-up child and elder care programs, employees at Qualcomm are stab und sttzeed in navigating personal life milestones alongside professional ones. For Burke, this has been crucial in enabling her to care for her 93-year-old mom.Getting this degree of caregiver support from an employer is, unfortunately, rare. While too many folks today struggle with fitting caregiving responsibilities into unforgiving work cultures, Burke has been able to make family time a priority that she doesnt have to hide.Determine what your priorities are and try to stick with those ideally, family first, she advised.Burke recently spoke to Fairygodboss about what it looks like to work for a company where caring for an aging parent and making it to a childs sporting event are actually encouraged, and she also gave her top three pieces of advice for anyone whos struggling to balance caregiving and their career.How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously? Ive been with Qualcomm for two and a half years and in current role for about one year. Previously, I welches with a cyber security company as Director of Engineering. Ive been in the industry for more than 20 years.How did you prepare for maternity leave and what advice can you offer to other moms who are expecting their first child? My best advice for maternity leave is to be flexible with your expectations. I imagined I could do it all and found that a difficult standard to meet. Try to take things a day at a time and determine what is fruchtwein important to you. If you plan to use a daycare, research places with good references and ones that will be most flexible with your time. Visit often and at different hours of the day to get a sense for how things run. Finding good childcare was key for me.How long were you on maternity leave and what was it like to return to work? I had a rather large break in work, but this did notlage come after my maternity leave. When my daughter was born, I had a 12-week maternity leave, after which I returned back to work. I continued to work full-time as a Director VP of Engineering for the next five years. My daughter was in a loving and supportive daycare that was closed only on major holidays. When she turned 5, we decided to relocate from the East Coast to the West Coast. We knew nobody in San Diego, and it was at that time that I decided to take a break from work to help us tischsettle and to support my daughters elementary school years.My break from work lasted about 6 years. During that time I did a lot of volunteering, particularly with non-profits. When I did return to work after all those years, I found remarkable that it was not a difficult transition. Truthfully, it felt like I never left work.What was the most challenging part about returning to work? For me, I had two major challenges. First, my primary work network was based on the East Coast, so finding contacts in San Diego was a challenge. Secondly, I was trying to return to a technical leadership role and needed to demonstrate how I was able to keep my skills current during my career break.I searched for quite some time before finding a position, and that one was a referral that my husband (also in the industry) made to a former coworker. It was a direct result of that referral that I was given the opportunity to interview. I was able to return to work under a director title, leading a QA team.What type of programs did/does your company offer to new and expectant mothers?My current company Qualcomm not only has outstanding maternity benefits, but it is now offering a returnship program, which helps build an environment where people re-entering the workforce feel welcome and excited to return to work. I wish I had a resource like this available to me when I was looking to return to the technical workforceWhy do you think your company is a particularly great place to be a working mom?Qualcomm offers everything from paid parental leave and flexibility in hours to remote work options and relevant employee resource groups. Today, my daughter is 22, but now I have my mom living with us at the age of 93. I have many of the same challenges now as I did when I returned to work with a small child in daycare. Im finding many of the above benefits from Qualcomm are particularly helpful to me as I am navigating elder-care.What kinds of boundaries do you follow (if any) to sep arate work and family time? I prioritize any medical illnesses or appointments as non-negotiable from a work interruption perspective. Also, I try to keep weekends focused on family time.Whats your No. 1 tip for new moms who are navigating the delicate balance of working and mothering? Similar to my tip for maternity leave manage your own expectations. Determine what your priorities are and try to stick with those. Ideally, family first. Dont miss any school event, performance, or sporting event no matter how big or small. Those times are precious and cannot be replicated, and your child will always notice if you arent there. Work can be adjusted to accommodate.Clearly communicate to your manager what your needs are and how you will satisfy work demands. If you require flexibility, that shouldnt be a problem, but be clear in what that flexibility needs to look like. Communication goes a long way in ensuring theres no resentment or misunderstanding if youre missing a work day.Lastly , if your child is young and home sick dont expect to get work from home done that day, and dont set expectations that you will.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Qualcomm.

Better Jobs With Companies That Care About Women July 6, 2017

Better Jobs With Companies That Care About Women July 6, 2017 Two words Share Stories. We saw a ton of that last week from brave women who are speaking out about sexism and harassment in Silicon Valley to the women on the panel we put together at Casper who shared how they changed their workplaces (read more on that below). Its through stories that we can confirm that one persons experience of being harassed is part of a larger pattern that women face daily. And stories can also give us hope, like the one Erin Grau from the NY Times told us that involved changing her companys parental leave policy. If you want to be part of our daily conversation then join our private facebook inc Group. Were sharing amazing, honest and productive stories there. FEATURED COMPANY THAT CARES KARATKarat was founded on the premise that the interview process is the gateway to innovation. And who better to innovate on hiring engineers for tech companies than actual engineers? Karat also allows for loads of flexibility and remote opportunities, perfect, well, for anybody. On-the-job training, off-site retreats and a chance to really help talented people from all walks of life round out the reasons why Karat is a company that cares about women for sure.For more great jobs from companies that care about women, check out the opportunities below. For even more open roles, please visit our Jobs page.Amazon Software Development Manager / Sr Manager (Austin, TX)Amazon Senior Software Development Engineer Amazon Channels (London, United Kingdom)Apple Accessories Channel Development Manager (Santa Clara, CA)Apple Sales Recruiter (Santa Clara, CA)Bloomberg L.P. Developer Experience Hosted Services Engineer (New York, NY)Casper Software Engineer (New York, NY)Complex-Verizon Hearst Media Partners Web Developer Architecture (New York, NY)Itavio Systems Developer (Remote)LiveSafe UI/UX Designer (Arlington, VA)Lyft Software Engineering Director (San Francisco, CA)Time, Inc. Software Engineer Brand Engineering (New York, NY)Verizon Communications Systems Architect (Ashburn, VA)Viacom Software Test Engineer (New York, NY)Viacom Director, Product Mgmt Data Platforms (New York, NY)

How to Advertise on Facebook

How to Advertise on FacebookHow to Advertise on FacebookIf you want to advertise your business on Facebook, there are a few things you need to figure out, including what your objective for advertising on the website is, what your budget will be, and which format of advertising you want to use. The very first thing you must do, however, if you havent already done so, is create a Facebook page for your business. Provide lots of helpful information in your About section, and add photos and videos to make visual connections with customers. Post frequently to your News Feed to share new developments and entice customers to return to your business. You can also add a button that enables people to shop, contact you, or a number of other options. Ad Objective The first step in creating and placing your ad is to determine your primary goal in advertising on Facebook. There are 11 objectives to choose from. Brand awareness Increase awareness of your brand by targeting people who are more l ikely to be interested in it. Reach Get your ad in front of as many people as possible. Traffic Send potential customers to a destination on or off Facebook, such as a website or app. Engagement Maximize engagement with a post or page, including comments, shares, likes, event responses, and offer claims. App installs Make it easy for customers to download your app. Video views Maximize promotion of your businesss videos. Lead generation Collect information from people who are interested in your business and could become customers. Messages Get more people to contact your business using Messenger or WhatsApp. Conversions Maximize the number of people taking actions that are valuable to your business, including adding payment information or making a purchase. Catalog sales Show items available for sale that are selected based on your target audience. Store besucherzahlen Increase the number of customers going to your physical store location by showing targeted ads to people who are ne arby. The remainder of the steps in creating this ad will be based on having chosen Conversions as the objective. The steps you go through will differ somewhat depending on your objective. Ad Account You next have to set up your ad account, which isnt terribly complicated. You must select a country, currency, time zone, and, if you like, an ad account name. Only the name can be easily changed later if you want to change the other information, you will have to create a new account. Ad Set The next step, Ad Set, involves further defining what you want your ad to do and how. You will also establish the budget and schedule for your ad. Conversion You can choose to send traffic to your website, app, app event, or Messenger or WhatsApp account. If you choose the app event option, you will have to create an event. For the other options, you will have to use or create a Facebook Pixel for measuring and optimizing the effectiveness of your ads. Dynamic Creative Upload creative assets , such as images and headlines, and automatically generate combinations of them for use in ads. Offer You can create a special offer for your business and send people reminders about it. Audience Target people in a certain location and in a selected age range. You can choose to target only men, only women, or both as well as those who speak particular languages. You can select for people by demographics, interests, and behaviors and include or exclude those who have an existing connection to you. Placements Choose whether to have Facebook distributionspolitik ads automatically or to manually determine placement yourself. Budget Schedule Set a daily or lifetime budget and an end date for advertising, if you would like. Ad Creation Now its time to create the ad. First, choose your businesss Facebook page to represent your business in the ad. Ad Format Next, youll choose an ad format. Facebook offers eight advertising formats. You might want to start out simpler and go for more-dy namic and more-expensive options once youve been advertising a while. Not all formats may be selectable depending on the objective you chose. Photo ad This kind of ad is simply a photo with a small space for a headline, a caption, and a link to your website. Video ad This is another simple type of ad that utilizes a video instead of a still photo. Stories ad This kind of ad is incorporated into- and uses the format of- Facebook Stories, as opposed to users News Feeds. Messenger ad This ad is placed in users Facebook Messenger inbox. Carousel ad This kind of ad lets you use as many as 10 photos or videos to get your homilie across. You can highlight several different products or services or different benefits of a single product or service. Slideshow ad An ad of this type features a video-like presentation made up of still photos and sound. It uses far less data than a video ad so it works better for people with slower internet connections and older smartphones. Collection ad Availab le only for mobile devices, a collection ad lets you highlight different offerings that can be purchased using Instant Experience (formerly Canvas) without leaving the Facebook app. An ad in Instant Experience loads instantly and fills the entire screen. You can choose to include an Instant Experience in other types of ads as well. Playable ad The purpose of this format is to enable game developers to let potential customers try the game before purchasing. Media, Text, Links, and Buttons Add media elements, write the ad copy, add links, and maybe create a call-to-action button, such as Learn More, Send Message, or Shop Now. Because this example ads objective was conversions, you would also set up your options for tracking conversions Facebook Pixel, App Events, and/or Offline Events. Preview and Placements Preview your ad to make koranvers it looks the way youd like. Then select among placement options including Mobile News Feed, Desktop News Feed, Facebook Messenger, In-Stream Vide o, and Stories. Review and Confirm The final steps in ad creation are to review and then confirm all the details of your ad buy. Ad Performance Once you have begun advertising on Facebook, you should gauge the ads performance in Ads Manager. Track how many conversions you are getting and decide whether they are worth the cost per action (CPA) you spent on them. If you dont like how the ad performed, create a new one or, better yet, several new ones. Because now that you have successfully created one ad, a good next-step strategy is to create several ads for a particular objective, divide your Facebook budget among them, and see which one is the most effective. You can then drop the other ads and use only the best-performing, tried-and-tested version.

Battling the Blaze

Battling the Blaze Battling the Blaze Battling the BlazeFire seemingly comes from all sides in a smoky building. A figure moves forward, hose at the ready. But there isnt a human in sight.Firefighters have long been some of the most heroic members of society, but what if they didnt have to find themselves in quite as many perilous situations? A robot firefighter just might one day be able to step in and save lives. For now, the technology is being tested at sea.Trying for Ship ShapeAround 2010 we had talked with the Navy about trying to help them with dealing with the hazard of fires on ships, says Brian Lattimer, a professor in the department of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech and a member of the team. We came up with the concept of a humanoid robot onboard because they might leid just help with fires but could also maybe be used for watch or assisting sailors with inspection.He says the Navy was excited but the idea of a humanoid then was a high-risk, high-reward propositio n. There werent that many humanoids around that could do these types of actions, but, with a potential payoff in ten to twenty years, they decided it was a good investment, he says.The team began by rethinking how to make the robot, especially considering the problems in moving around on a ship. There are many things they can run into in this kind of confined space and we needed a strategy for the robot that would allow it to balance on its own, he says. We developed a whole body controller for balance and to respond to external disturbance.THOR-OP reaching for a fire nozzle. Image Virginia TechSeeing Through SmokeThe body controller was a combination of redesigning actuators used on robots and software used for locomotion, he says. It isnt rigid like some other robots you might see. The actuators have springs, allowing it to more easily control its balance. The whole body controller compensates for any tritt from the fire hose.They also wanted a robot to be able to keep its range-f inding and perception during a fire event. When you put water into fire you have to see through steam and smoke, he says. It was desirable to have a robot autonomously locate fires and put them out with water. They looked at range finders on the market and put them in different levels of fire and smoke to see how they behaved. Ultimately, LIDAR was chosen.Testing it on the former USS Shadwell, the robot walked into a compartment containing fire and worked with a firefighter to grab a hand line. The situation was suppressed successfully.Potentially, this could have humanoid robots go into spaces to size up fires before having to put firefighters there, he says. They could also be used for other platforms ground vehicles or possibly aerial vehicles to assist in a wildland fire even.At present, they have developed two humanoid robots, both 5 foot 10 and weighing 145 lbs and 165 lbs, respectively.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further Discussion When you put water into fir e you have to see through steam and smoke. It was desirable to have a robot autonomously locate fires and put them out with water.Prof. Brian Lattimer, Virginia Tech University

The Paralegal Job Description Keeps Expanding Robert Half

The Paralegal Job Description Keeps Expanding Robert HalfThe Paralegal Job Description Keeps Expanding Robert HalfThe paralegal job description is tough to pigeonhole - it varies considerably from one firm to another, depending on size and other factors. But theres no question that the role has expanded in recent years, making the paralegal position one of the most rapidly evolving legal jobs.Both law firms and businesses look to these legal professionals to perform multiple functions. They are increasingly expected to handle substantive legal work, including duties previously performed as part of the legal job descriptions of junior-level lawyers, such as research, trial preparation, kapitnspatent filings, and regulatory and eDiscovery matters. By allocating work that doesnt require a licensed lawyer to paralegals, firms are able to keep legal costs in check and meet client demands for more cost-effective services.Aspects of the paralegal job descriptionIn addition to the considera ble legal duties performed by paralegals, the paralegal job description often calls for technology expertise. Newly expanded paralegal roles require candidates to be skilled at using eDiscovery software, e-filing systems and various practice management applications. In some firms, especially smaller ones, paralegals also use their technical skills to assist with the day-to-day aspects of practice management, such as tracking legal time and expenses and other administrative tasks. Hybrid or blended paralegal/legal secretary roles are becoming more common in listings of legal jobs as organizations streamline legal support functions to improve efficiencies.Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of legal staffing and consulting solutions for law firms and corporate legal departments. Let us help you find the right job for you.GET HELP FINDING WORKLegal professionals benefit from practice area expertiseAlthough the paralegal job description will probably continue to come with the impl icit requirement that professionals wear multiple hats, todays legal market now favors specialists over generalists. A majority (66 percent) of lawyers interviewed by Robert Half Legal cited practice area expertise as the most marketable attribute for paralegals. Technological proficiency followed, with 13 percent of the survey response.Paralegals with expertise in in-demand areas, including litigation, compliance, healthcare, contracts, real estate and intellectual property are seeing strong demand from law firms and corporations.A sample of employer postings for paralegal jobsTo illustrate how the paralegal job role has evolved - and the most sought-after skills - heres a sample of job requirements listed in a handful of current paralegal jobs postingsParalegal - Candidate must feel comfortable working in a small law firm environment, wearing many hats and taking on leadership. At least three years of litigation experience is a must, with substantive trial prep experience being a strong plus. Duties include drafting litigation documents and various trial prep duties.Senior contracts paralegal - This person will be the subject matter expert for contracts and report to a corporate attorney. Requires drafting, analyzing and negotiating a wide range of contracts and agreements. Must have the ability to identify and assess risk and communicate effectively with internal team members, business partners and outside counsel.Intellectual property paralegal - Provide assistance to attorneys and trial teams with all aspects of intellectual property case management, including the discovery process trial preparation case investigation tracking and communicating case-related dates and information database maintenance and the review and preparation of documents, reports and correspondence. Position involves direct contact with clients.Litigation paralegal - Manage all aspects of large-scale, complex litigation. Requires full understanding of litigation motion practice , discovery, arbitration, trial and appellate procedures.As these examples demonstrate, paralegals have become indispensable legal team members. And, as law offices continue to evolve and operate more like traditional businesses, the paralegal job description is likely to keep changing as well.Robert Half conducts exclusive research and offers free resources you can use to advance your career.CONTINUE READING

ASME Launches New MasterClass Series on Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Piping Technologies

ASME Launches New MasterClass Series on Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Piping Technologies ASME Launches New MasterClass Series on Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Piping Technologies ASME Launches New MasterClass Series on Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Piping TechnologiesASME Training Development will present seven courses from its MasterClass Series on Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Piping Technologies this November in New Orleans. The series examines new technologies and the critical rules and applications of ASME Codes and Standards that help improve plant integrity and reduce maintenance costs.Led by recognized experts who are also ASME code leaders, ASME MasterClasses are practical, case study-driven training sessions aimed at experienced professionals that emphasize learning through discussion of real world case studies and practical applications. Unlike traditional classroom teaching formats, ASME MasterClasses stress interactive collaboration and knowledge-sharing, where participants ma y actively contribute to the discussion and have an opportunity to share real-life experiences with other members of the class. MasterClass attendees are eligible to receive continuing education units (CEUs) upon the completion of each course. The seven courses, to be offered Nov. 10-13 at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, will include Design by Analysis Requirements in ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII, Division 2 - Alternative Rules on Nov. 10 Techniques and Methods Used in API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 for Advanced Fitness-For-Service (FFS) Assessments on Nov. 11 and Bases and Application of Heat Exchanger Mechanical Design Rules in Section VIII of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and Bases and Application of Piping Flexibility Analysis to ASME B31 Codes on Nov. 10 and 11.Filling out the slate of MasterClasses in New Orleans will be Repair Strategies and Considerations for Pressure Vessels and Piping on Nov. 12 Bases and Application of Piping Flexibility Analysis to ASME B31 Codes on Nov. 12 and 13 and Piping Vibration Causes and Remedies - A Practical Approach, also on Nov. 12 and 13.Early bird registration is available through Oct. 13. Registrants can also receive a 15 percent discount by signing up for two of the MasterClasses, or 20 percent when they register for three or more. For more information on combination discount pricing, contact John Yelavich, ASME Customer Care, at (973) 244-2213 or yelavichjasme.org. For more details on the ASME MasterClasses in New Orleans, visit http//go.asme.org/MCseriesNov2014 or contact Jennifer Delda, Seminars Workshops, at (212) 591-7108 or deldajasme.org.